Banff, Jasper & Glacier National Parks Travel Guide

E-reader devices vary in their ability to show our maps. To get the most out of the maps in this guide, use the zoom function on your device. Or, visit http://media.lonelyplanet.com/ebookmaps and grab a PDF download or print out all the maps in this guide.

From snowcapped mountains and pristine valleys to shimmering lakes and glittering glaciers, few places on Earth can match Banff, Jasper and Glacier when it comes to sky-topping scenery.

Moraine Lake (), Banff National Park
SEAN CAFFREY/LONELY PLANET IMAGES

No scene has ever given me an equal impression of inspiring solitude and rugged grandeur. So said the explorer Walter Wilcox when he first laid eyes on the Valley of the Ten Peaks, near Lake Louise, in 1899, and its a maxim that could happily apply to any of these three national parks. They might not be quite the same untouched landscape experienced by pioneers such as David Thompson, Tom Wilson and Mary Schffer at the end of the 19th century, but these mountain parks are still among the best places to see the raw machinery of Mother Nature in action. These precious regions harbor some of the worlds grandest landscapes: vistas of stunning and often savage beauty, where for once human meddling has been kept to a minimum, and theres still a whiff of wildness on the mountain breeze.

Whether its hiking along a snow-dusted ridgeline or trekking through the spray of a thundering waterfall, Banff, Jasper and Glacier collectively boast some of the finest outdoor activities that North America has to offer. Getting out and about in the great outdoors is an essential part of experiencing the national parks, and there are activities to suit all ages and abilities even if that just means a gentle stroll along a lakeshore or a soak in one of the regions natural hot springs. For more active types, theres no end of ways to get your adrenaline racing from exploring the endless network of backcountry trails to kayaking the restless white-water rapids of the Kicking Horse River.

Theres nothing quite like glimpsing animals in their natural habitat, and the Rocky Mountains has some of the best wildlife watching in North America. Shaggy mountain goats, curly-horned mountain sheep, hooting marmots and majestic moose are just some of the inhabitants youre likely to encounter, and if youre really fortunate, you might glimpse a wild black or grizzly bear moseying down the avalanche slopes, perhaps with a couple of fuzzy cubs in tow. Seeing a bear in the wild is the holy grail for wildlife watchers, and as long as you remember to keep your distance, itll be an experience that will remain with you long after the Rockies have faded from view.

Mountain goat at Glacier National Park ()
MARK NEWMAN/LONELY PLANET IMAGES

Cross-park views of Jasper are par for the course on the widely celebrated Skyline Trail (). It could have had any number of descriptive names conferred upon it the Homeric path, the celestial walk, the resplendent ramble, but instead its name describes exactly how it is: a 45.8km (28.7-mile) promenade through Jaspers splendidly glaciated high country that offers kilometer after kilometer of seemingly endless skyline. Is there a more spectacular hike anywhere in North America? Possibly not.

ANDREW BAIN/LONELY PLANET IMAGES

Lake Louise Gondola

For an instant rush of mountain scenery, nothing beats a ride in the Lake Louise Gondola (see boxed text, ). In just 14 vertigo-inducing minutes, youll be whisked up to the viewing station at a sky-topping altitude of 2088m (6850ft), from where youll be treated to a 360-degree view of the peaks and glaciers encircling Lake Louise. Its a fantastic lookout in its own right, and if youre really lucky you might be able to spot grizzlies wandering along the avalanche slopes of Whitehorn Mountain nearby.

JULIA CATT PHOTOGRAPHY/ALAMY

Icefields Parkway

There are amazing road trips, and then theres the Icefields Parkway (). This iconic highway unfurls for 230km (143 miles) between Lake Louise and Jasper, and takes in some of the most mind-blowing mountain panoramas anywhere on the Continental Divide. En route youll pass cerulean lakes, crashing cascades, gleaming glaciers and the largest area of unbroken ice anywhere in North America, the mighty Columbia Icefield. Its a true trip of a lifetime, so fuel up, sit back and let one of the worlds great scenery shows unfold.

PHOTOLIBRARY/GETTY

Moraine Lake

Canoes have been the preferred method of transport in the Rockies since time immemorial, and theyre still an ideal way to explore the regions lakes and rivers. Canoes and kayaks can be hired on many of the regions waters, but few water journeys can match Moraine Lake () in the scenic stakes. Paddling out across this peacock-blue lake in a traditional canoe, gazing up to the icy summits of the Wenkchemna Peaks, youll feel like youve been transported back in time to the days of the early pioneers and voyageurs.

DAVID TOMLINSON/LONELY PLANET IMAGES

Going-to-the-Sun Road

The starts inauspicious enough: a signposted turning off US 2, the blink-and-youll-miss-it village of West Glacier, followed by a serendipitous plunge into dense forest around Apgar. Its only on the shores of Lake McDonald that the views start getting better and better, until you feel as if the Going-to-the-Sun Rd () really is well going to the sun. The highpoint is Logan Pass on the Continental Divide; after that its all downhill to St Mary, amid more jaw-dropping scenery and potent lessons in glacial erosion.

LAWRENCE WORCESTER/LONELY PLANET IMAGES

Canmore Nordic Centre

The Rockies rugged landscape of mountains and valleys makes perfect terrain if youre into mountain biking. Many of Banff and Jaspers trails are designated as multi-use, meaning theyre open to hikers and horseback riders as well as cyclists, but for the best biking head for the groomed trails of the Canmore Nordic Centre (). There are more than 65km (40 miles) of routes to explore, ranging from easy rolls to epic singletracks, and the regular skills clinics can help you get the most out of your ride.